Pastoral
Encouragement2 Timothy 1:7"For God has not given us a
spirit of fear,
but of power and of love and of a sound mind."

2
Timothy 4:2-5
"Preach the word! Be
ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all
longsuffering and teaching. [3] For the
time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according
to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up
for themselves teachers; [4] and they will
turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.
[5]
But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an
evangelist, fulfill your ministry."

We
can stop the breakdown of Christian Marriage.
AND
We can stop the disintegration of the "Christian" Church!

If,
as a Church Family ministry, you allow 24/7/52 lifestyle adulterers (the
divorced and remarried with living divorced spouses
{Romans
7:2-3; 1 Corinthians 7:39}in your Church Family membership, leadership
and ministerial oversight while refusing the homosexual crowd,
major problems concerning your 501c3 exemption is on the way.
You're not going to be allowed to continue having a "smorgasbord
ministry" / having it both ways. Attorneys who are well
versed in the English language and know their way around the Word of God
are numerous in the leadership of our Federal and State governments.
Many of them are religious college and seminary graduates who understand
1 Corinthians 6:9-10.

---------ADDED
March 26, 2009---------

DIVORCE
and REMARRIAGE SIMPLIFIED

Question:
Pastor Shepherd, are you a Born Again
Christian? You know that and you're sure of
that?

Yet, as a Born again Christian Pastor you are
struggling with separation, divorce and or divorce
& remarriage? >>>>>>> Before
exploring any farther >>>>>>>please consider
the following very
few verses. I am appealing to your
Christian "common sense / conscience" and
the "Holy Spirit's witness" within you:

[1] God's Word, 1
Peter 2:9,
instructs us that Born Again Christians are a
"Royal
Priesthood":

"But you are a chosen race, a Royal Priesthood, a
dedicated nation, [God's] own purchased, special
people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds
and display the virtues and perfections of Him Who
called you out of darkness into His marvelous
light".(Amplified Bible)

[2]
Our Priesthood as the Body of Jesus Christ is
patterned after the Priesthood of
God's Children, the
Nation of Israel:

Exodus 19:5-6,
“Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice
and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special
treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is
Mine. [6]And you shall be to Me a Kingdom of
Priests and a holy nation.' These are
the words which you shall speak to the children of
Israel.” (NKJV)

[3]
The Old Testament was written for our, New Testament
Believer's, knowledge,
example and
admonition, not to be discarded or ignored:

Romans 15:4, "For whatever things were written
before were written for our learning, that we
through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures
might have hope".(NKJV)

1
Corinthians 10:11, "Now all these things happened to them as
examples, and they were written for our admonition,
upon whom the ends of the ages have come".(NKJV)

[4]
Because we are a "Royal Priesthood" &
"Dedicated Nation" patterned after the Old
Testament Nation of Israel "Kingdom of
Priests" and "Holy Nation" -- doesn't
it make sense that as such we should abide by the
same rules for marriage by which the normal Daily
Priests, not the High Priest, were regulated?

Ezekiel 44:22,
“Neither
shall they take for their wives a widow or a woman
separated or divorced from her husband; but they
shall marry maidens [who are virgins] of the
offspring of the house of Israel or a widow
previously married to a priest.” (Amplified
Bible)

As
a truly Born Again Christian, Jesus Christ of the
New Testament clearly teaches us that we are Normal,
Everyday -- Daily Priests: (When was the last
time a Pastor taught you this truth? We should
be reminded regularly if not weekly.)

**The
Normal Daily Priest was not to marry a
separated or divorced woman;

---------- Compare
the above with Romans 7:2-3
----------

Romans
7:2-3, "For the woman who has a husband
is bound by the law to her husband as long as he
lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from
the law of her husband. [3]
So then if, while her husband lives, she marries
another man, she will be called an adulteress; but
if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so
that she is no adulteress, though she has married
another man."

**The
Normal Daily Priest was only to marry
virgins of the Nation of Israel;
---------- Compare
the above with 2 Corinthians
6:14 ----------

2
Corinthians 6:14, "Do not be unequally
yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship
has righteousness with lawlessness? And what
communion has light with darkness?"

**The
Normal Daily Priest could marry the widow of
a Priest.
---------- Compare
the above with 1 Corinthians
7:39 ----------

1
Corinthians 7:39, "A wife is bound by
law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband
dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she
wishes, only in the Lord."

Brother,
what separates us from false religions, the cults
and the unsaved is that by our personal faith
that is based upon the written Word of God and the
leadership of His Holy Spirit Who lives within us,
we believe:

1-
that Jesus Christ is God,John
1:1.

2-
As God, He never changes, Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8.

3-
Because He (God / Jesus Christ) never changes, it is
very safe to conclude that the same marriage
parameters that God / Jesus Christ established
for the every day, Daily Priests of the
Nation of Israel are the same marriage parametersfor us, the Household of Jesus Christ,
the Bride of Christ and His dedicated nation.
This truth creates for us a "safe, sure and
simple" example and pattern to follow. It
removes the questions that modern day and fallen
theology has created. Only 13
Verses of Scripture and the questions and
doubts are solved. How simple can it get?

Question:
Upon what basis, foundation or criteria do we
make our decisions and establish policy? Are our decisions
influenced, skewed or even dictated by:

*popular opinion,*majority vote,*boards,*committees,*the opinions of others,*or, we "presume"
we are correct based upon all of the above opinions.

Are
our decisions influenced, skewed or even dictated by:

*A denominational position, statement or edict?*By our peers as a Pastor in
an association of Churches?*By our membership, board
members etc. as an independent Pastor in an independent Church.*By family (I have a family
to feed.), financial (This is all I know to do.), community or social
pressures
and obligations?

**Seriously
men, "why and upon what basis do we make our decisions?"
I'm asking this for the simple reason
that .... based upon the Word of God and over 50 years of observation...
divorce and divorce and remarriage is totally destroying our families,
our ministries and our witness to a lost and dying world without Jesus
Christ. The 21st. century church is allowing and practicing
that which is in total violation of the Word of God and the historical
witness of the Christian Church throughout the ages. I am
reasonably sure that not one of us would dare to say that our divorce
and remarriage situation has enhanced, promoted or made our ministry to
the lost of our communities -- more convincing.

It
was only nine years ago that I asked the following question:

When
only 40% +/- of the Christian community
is divorced and remarried, why are our peers so willing to discourage,
destroy and bring down the 60% +/- of our
Christian community --
who are faithful to the Word of
God, their wedding vows, their spouses, their families and their
Church Family?

Now,
just ten years later, I have to write the following:

Alarmingly,
over 51% of the 21st. century church
membership is divorced and over 43% of
the divorced membership is remarried and both scenarios are
climbing exponentially.

A few years ago I
had a delightful telephone conversation
with a verywise lady.
She was asking me about a young couple
that were to be married and "did I
know the young man's position
concerning the permanence of marriage?"
Her comment was,

"Our Church
doesn't allow divorce because we don't
allow a Church member to sue
another
member in a court of law. It's
against the Word of God."

I thought to
myself, "Amazing. A Church that is
on track with the Lord!"

My wife turned
to me and said, "be sure to make a note
to include it in your web site."

The following is the note
that I made to myself:

1 Corinthians 6:1-8

"Dare any of you,
having a matter against another, go to
law before the unjust, and not before
the saints? [2]Do ye not
know that the saints shall judge the
world? And if the world shall be
judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge
the smallest matters?
[3] Know ye not that we shall
judge angels? How much more things
that pertain to this life?
[4] If then ye have judgments
of things pertaining to this life, set
them to judge who are least esteemed in
the church.
[5] I speak to your shame.
Is it so, that there is not a wise man
among you? No, not one that shall
be able to judge between his brethren?
[6] But brother goes to law
with brother, and that before the
unbelievers.
[7] Now therefore there is
utterly a fault among you, because ye go
to law one with another. Why
do ye not rather take wrong? Why do ye
not rather suffer yourselves to be
defrauded?
[8] No, ye do wrong, and
defraud, and that your brethren."

I asked myself this question:

"How do Christians
obtain a divorce? Do they file an 'adversarial law
suit' to obtain a divorce? An
'adversarial law suit' in a civil
court of law?"

Christians? Pastors? Church
leaders? What is our -- answer --
for this continuing practice among our
peers and our Church membership?

Matthew
5:32, "But I say to
you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual
immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman
who is divorced commits adultery."

Matthew
is writing to the Jewish community and is quoting Jesus Christ.
In the Jewish community, under the law, adulterers were to be stoned,
not divorced. This man is divorcing his wife for some other
reason than adultery. Because it was for something other than
adultery and....because this woman was going to have to survive, she
would marry again, causing her to commit adultery. Today, she
would be considered an innocent party because she was not guilty of
adultery and frankly, all would consider her husband to be some kind
of a an unreasonable man (jerk). If she is innocent of adultery,
why then is her next marriage adultery?

This is no exception clause. This is a "cause and
affect" clause.

Mark
10:11-12, "So He said to them, "Whoever
divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. [12]
And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits
adultery."

Mark
is quoting Jesus Christ and is addressing the Gentile
perspective of divorce and remarriage. Jesus said that whoever
divorces his wife, and marries another, commits adultery against
her. If we believe that this man is the innocent party, why is
hisnextmarriageadultery? Whom is he
committing adultery against: the wife he divorced or, the second wife
he married?

That
this is a Gentile perspective is evident in VERSE
12, "And if a woman divorces her
husband and marries another, she commits adultery." In the
Jewish society the wife is considered property. As property she
had no right to divorce her husband. In the Gentile society, a wife
divorcing her husband was acceptable. If we believe this woman is the
innocent party, why is hernext marriageadultery?

Luke
16:18, "Whoever divorces his
wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who
is divorced from her husband commits adultery."

Dr.
Luke is writing to the Greek community and he is quoting our Savior,
Jesus Christ when he writes that the man who divorces his wife and
marries again is committing adultery. Why? Can we assume
from the text that the wife whom he divorced is guilty of unrepentant
sexual immorality because, it is stated that whoever marries her is
committing adultery? If we can assume that he is the innocent
party, isn't it amazing that this innocentpartyis
guilty of adultery and, his wife, guilty orotherwise
(she burned her husband’s coffee), is also guilty of adultery when
she marries again?! Both are guilty of adultery. Why?

Romans
7:1-4,
"Know ye not,
brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law) how that the law hath
dominion over a man as long as he lives? [2]
For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her
husband so long as he lives; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed
from the law of her husband. [3]
So then if, while her husband lives, she be married to another
man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she
is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be
married to another man. [4]
Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body
of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to Him who
is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto
God."

Paul
is writing to Christian Churches. The first question that I have
to ask is, "why is He writing about adultery to a Christian
Church? Contextually, beginning with Romans
1:16 through Romans 12:2, it would seem that the Holy
Spirit is addressing a multitude of sins that are not only in the world
but sins that have also crept into the Churches of Rome.
Paul, having never visited the Churches in Rome wouldn't have
first hand knowledge of particular sins, unless his relatives,
Andronicus, Junias and Herodain (Rom.
16:7, 11) or Aquila (Rom.
18:2), a personal friend of Paul, out of concern for the
members and the ministry wrote and told him. Contextually it
is also very apparent that, though Paul is addressing both Jew and
Greek, the Churchispredominately Jewish.
The Holy Spirit is using Paul to address the sin of adultery (most
likely members of the Churches) because of their knowledge of the Law
and the necessity of death to the Law and all other Jewish laws for
salvation in Christ Jesus. Because of the predominately Jewish
membership the Church at Rome clearly understood the Mosaic law and they
understood the principles of salvation. They understood that to be
married to Jesus Christ, they had to DIE to the Mosaic law, and
all the Judaic laws that they trusted in for their righteousness (unlike
today, turning to Christ from Judaism had grave personal and social
consequences). The Jew understood that they could not simply divorce
the law because divorce has no power over God. The fact that death
of a spouse before marriage to another was necessary, would resolve any
issues prevalent in that day, pertaining to marriage; i.e., divorce and
remarriage, polygamy, bigamy or digamy (a woman with more than one
husband).

1
Corinthians 7:39, "The wife is
bound by the law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband be
dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the
Lord." It can not be stated any clearer than this.

Consider
what instructions the Holy Spirit gave to the Church at Corinth, using
the Apostle Paul as His instrument for their instruction 1
Corinthians 5:1-12, "It is reported commonly that there is fornication among
you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles,
that one should have his father's wife. [2]
And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath
done this deed might be taken away from among you. [3]
For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged
already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so
done this deed, [4]
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and
my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, [5]
to deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that
the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. [6]
Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven
leavens the whole lump? [7]
Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are
unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us: [8]
Therefore let us keep the feast, not with
old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with
the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

[9]
I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: [10]
Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the
covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go
out of the world. [11]
But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is
called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a
railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to
eat. [12]
For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye
judge them that are within?"

We
know the story. A man was living with or, married to his father's
wife and they were sexually intimate. The first problem was, what
they were doing, was sin. The second problem, what they were
doing, was common knowledge not just Church knowledge. Just like
today.The
third problem, it was acceptable (verse:2,
"and ye are puffed up") even though it violated the Word of
God .... justliketoday.

Years
ago, I would hear messages concerning this short phrase "and ye are
puffed up" from our older and wiser expositors. It was a
common understanding that this phrase meant the members of the Churches
in Corinth were glorying in Christ's mercy and grace. I heard it
explained many times by many men of God that what the Christians in
Corinth were actually saying was, "Christ's forgiveness, His mercy
and grace is sufficient, even in this situation." (This is
precisely what is being said today.) I suppose their glorying was
to be expected, after all, the Holy Spirit characterized the maturity of
the Church as, "And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto
spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto
babes in Christ" (1
Corinthians 3:1).The fourth problem was
that the adulterous lifestyle was influencing (leavening) the
membership of the Church at Corinth as well as their witness to the
unsaved citizens of the city of Corinth.

The
solution to the problem was three fold:

(1)
Turn him over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that his soul
might be spared eternal
judgment....God's righteous discipline;

(2)
Remove him from the Church membership....Church corporate discipline

(3)
Have no fellowship with him in or out of the Church....Christian
family and social discipline.

This
was an INDIVIDUAL FAMILY SIN PROBLEM that, for what ever reason,
was not resolved by the family. Therefore they, the Church, was to
tell the man to stop sinning immediately. If they were living
together without marriage it obviously meant that someone had to move
out. If they were, in fact, married.... it meant dissolving the
marriage (divorce,
Ezra Chapter 10) and, once again, someone had to
move out. The Holy Spirit summarized much of His admonitions to
the Church at Corinth with these words, "Now all these things
happened unto them [a summarization of the happenings of the nation of
Israel] for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom
the ends of the world are come"(1
Corinthians 10:11).

As
interim Pastor years ago, I had a similar situation. A woman of
the Church had divorced her husband and left him with their three
children. She began dating a man from a neighboring Church family
yet maintaining her membership and Church position of
"Secretary/Treasurer". The Lord had led me to minister
His Word concerning the sanctity and permanence of Marriage at a time
when she had attended, long before I was aware of this sinful situation.
One Sunday morning, a Lord's Table Sunday, she came with her man friend
and sat near the rear of the sanctuary fully intending to participate in
the Lord's Supper. On the other side of the sanctuary sat her divorced
husband with their three children. I was led of the Lord to minister the
very familiar passage of 1 Corinthians
11:23-33. Before serving
Communion it is my custom to give opportunity to all present to
privately confess any and all sins to the Lord where the sin(s) is,
indeed, private. I also give opportunity to all to publicly
confess and repent of any and all sins where the sin(s) is, indeed,
public knowledge. The lady never moved. I stepped down from behind
the pulpit, addressed this lady with her friend and asked them to please
leave the service so we could continue (1
Corinthians 5:11-13). Men, leaven
is a horrible thing - when it is the leaven of sinfulness (1Corinthians 5:6-8). It totally
destroys!! And, you and I are held personally accountable Acts
20:28, 1
Timothy 5:22 and Hebrews
13:17-18.

Please
consider the facts. The Church at Rome was told that marriage to
another person while the spouse was still living was adultery. The
Church at Corinth was told that adulterers were not allowed to remain in
the fellowship of the Christian Church or the Christian community.
Then the Holy Spirit tells the Church at Corinth 1
Corinthians 6:9-10, "Know ye not that the
unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived:
neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor
effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, [10]
nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners,
shall inherit the kingdom of God". Why was this
written to a Christian Church? After all, only "Born Again
Believers" who have publicly confessed their personal salvation in
Jesus Christ for salvation and have been Scripturally Baptized as
believers are supposed to be members of the local Church. (John
3:3-7,Matthew 28:19-20;
Acts 2:41; 1 Corinthians 1:13-16)
This is written to a Church that has membership giving strong evidence
that they are only "wanna-be" Christians.
The evidence was that the Church had some members that were not saved.
Note that the Holy Spirit did not pen, "because you are
living sinful lifestyles you have lost your salvation i.e. are
not going to inherit the Kingdom of God". The Holy Spirit
did pen "because you are living sinful lifestyles, it is
evident that you are not saved i.e., you are not going to
inherit the Kingdom of God".

Consider
as well, the truths and parallelisms of today found in 2
Peter 2:9-22, "The Lord
knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the
unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: [10]
But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness,
and despise government. Presumptuous are they, self-willed, they
are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. [11]
Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing
accusation against them before the Lord. [12]
But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed,
speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly
perish in their own corruption; [13]
And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that
count it pleasure to riot in the daytime. Spots they are
and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceiving
while they feast with you; [14]Having
eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin;
beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous
practices; cursed children: [15]
Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray,
following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages
of unrighteousness; [16]
But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice
forbad the madness of the prophet. [17]
These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a
tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. [18]
For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they
allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much
wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
[19]
While they promise them liberty, they themselves are
the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the
same is he brought in bondage. [20]
For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through
the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are
again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is
worse with them than the beginning. [21]
For it had been better for them not to have known the way of
righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the
holy commandment delivered unto them. [22]
But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog
is
turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her
wallowing in the mire."

Romans
7:1-4
Calvin reasons, (direct quote) "The woman is bound to her living
husband by the law, so that she can not be the
wife of another; but after the death of her husband she is loosed from
the bond of this law, so that she is free to marry whom she
pleases."

Vs:
39. The wife is bound. He had
previously spoken indiscriminately of husbands and wives, but as
wives, on account of the modesty of their sex, might seem to have less
liberty, he has thought it necessary to give in addition some special
directions in reference to them. He now, therefore, teaches that
women are not less at liberty than men to marry a second time, on
their becoming widows.2 We have already mentioned above
that those who desired a second marriage were branded with the
reproach of intemperance, and that, with the view of putting some kind
of sight upon them, those who had been contented with being once
married, were wont to be presented with the "chaplet of
chastity". Nay more, this first opinion had, in course of
time, become prevalent among Christians; for second marriages had no
blessing pronounced upon them, and some Councils prohibited the clergy
from being present on such occasions.

QUINTUS
SEPTIMIUS FLORENS TERTULLIANUS, as our
author is called in the MSS of his works, is thus noticed by Jerome
in his Catalogus Scnptorum Ecciesiasticorum: Tertullian,
a presbyter, the first Latin writer after Victor and Apollonius, was
a native of the province of Africa and city of Cartage, the son of a
proconsular centurion: he was a man of a sharp and vehement temper,
flourished under Severus and Antoninus Caracalla, and wrote numerous
works, which (as they are generally known) I think it unnecessary to
particularize. I saw at Concordia, in Italy, an old man named
Paulus. He said that when young he had met at Rome with an
aged amanuensis of the blessed Cyprian, who told him that Cyprian
never passed a day without reading some portion of Tertullian's
works, and used frequently to say, Give me my master, meaning
Tertullian. After remaining a presbyter of the church until he
had attained the middle age of life, Tertullian was, by the envy and
contumelious treatment of the Roman clergy,…..after Tertullian
seceded from the church, he left and returned to Carthage.
Jerome does not inform us whether Tertullian was born of Christian
parents, or was converted to Christianity. There are passages
in his writings' which seem to imply that he had been a Gentile; yet
he may perhaps mean to describe, not his own condition, but that of
Gentiles in general, before their conversion. Allix and the
majority of commentators understand them literally, as well as some
other passages in which he speaks of his own infirmities and
sinfulness. His writings show that he flourished at the period
specified by Jerome-that is, during the reigns of Severus and
Antoninus Caracalla, or between the years A.D. 193 and 216; but they
supply no precise information respecting the date of his birth, or
any of the principal occurrences of his life. Allix places his
birth about 145 or 150; his conversion to Christianity about A.D.
185; his marriage about 186; his admission to the priesthood3 about
192; his adoption of the opinions of Montanus about 199; and his
death about A.D. 220. But these dates, it must be understood,
rest entirely on conjecture."4

So
far as regards the non-destruction of the will of God, and the
restruction of the law of "the beginning." But
another reason, too conspires; nay, not another, but (one) which
imposed the law of "the beginning," and moved the will
of God to prohibit divorce: the fact that (he) who shall have
dismissed his wife, except on the ground of adultery, makes her commit
adultery; and (he) who shall have married a (woman) dismissed by her
husband, of course commits adultery.3A
divorced woman cannot even marry legitimately;
and if she commit any such act without
the name of marriage, does it not fall under the
category of adultery, in that adultery is
crime in the way of marriage? Such
is God's verdict, within straiter limits than men's, that
universally, whether through marriage or promiscuously,
the admission of a second man (to intercourse) is pronounced
adultery by Him. For let us see what marriage is in the eye of
God; and thus we shall learn what adultery equally is. Marriage
is (this): when God joins "two into one flesh;" or else,
finding (them already) joined in the same flesh, has given His seal to
the conjunction. Adultery is (this): when, the two having been -
in whatsoever way - disjoined, other - nay,
rather alien - flesh is mingled (with either): flesh concerning
which it cannot be affirmed, "This is flesh out of my flesh, and
this bone out of my bones."4 For this, once for
all done and pronounced, as from the beginning, so now too, cannot
apply to "other" flesh. Accordingly, it will be
without cause that you will say that God wills
not a divorced woman to be joined to another man. (underlining
and color emphasis added)

Matthew
5:32, "But I say unto you, That
whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of
fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry
her that is divorced committeth adultery."

4
Gen. ii. 23, in reversed order again.Genesis 2:23, "And Adam said,
This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be
called Woman, because she was taken out of Man."

The
Pastor of Hermas was one of the most popular books, if not the
most popular book, in the Christian Church during the second, third,
and fourth centuries. It occupied a position analogous in some
respects to that of Bunyan’s Pilgrim's Progress in modem
times; and critics have frequently compared the two works.

In
ancient times two opinions prevailed in regard to the authorship.
The most widely spread was, that the Pastor of Hermas was the
production of the Hermas mentioned in the Epistle to the Romans.
Origen3 states this opinion distinctly, and it is repeated
by Eusebius4 and Jerome.5

Those
who believed the apostolic Hermas to be the author, necessarily
esteemed the book very highly; and there was much discussion as to
whether it was inspired or not. The early
writers are of opinion that it was really inspired. Irenaeus
quotes it as Scripture.6Clemens Alexandrinus speaks
of it as making its statements "divinely;"7 and
Origen, though a few of his expressions are regarded by some as
implying doubt, unquestionably gives it as his opinion that it is
"divinely inspired."8

Eusebius
mentions that difference of opinion prevailed in his day as to the
inspiration of the book, some opposing its claims, and others
maintaining its divine origin, especially because it formed an
admirable introduction to the Christian faith. For this latter
reason it was read publicly, he tells us, in the churches.

The
only voice of antiquity decidedly opposed to the claim is that of
Tertullian. He designates it apocryphal,1 and rejects
it with scorn, as favoring anti-Montanistic opinions. Even
his words, however, show that it was
regarded in many churches as Scripture.

THE
PASTOR
BOOK SECOND. – COMMANDMENTS; [Pages 21-22]

COMMANDMENT
FOURTH.
ON PUTTING ONE'S WIFE AWAY FOR ADULTERY.

CHAP.
I.

"I
charge you," said he, "to guard your chastity, and let no
thought enter your heart of another man’s Wife, or of fornication,
or of similar iniquities; for by doing this you commit a great sin.
But if you always remember your own Wife, you will never sin.
For if this thought 7 enter your heart, then you will
sin; and if; in like manner, you think other wicked thoughts, you
commit sin. For this thought is great sin in a servant
of God. But if any one commit this wicked deed, he works death
for himself. Attend, therefore, and refrain from this thought;
for where purity dwells, there iniquity ought not enter the heart of
a righteous man." I said to him, "Sir, permit me to
ask you a few questions."8 "Say on," said
he. And I said to him, "Sir,
if any one has a wife who trusts in the Lord, and if he detect her
in adultery, does the man sin if he continue to live with her?"
And he said to me, "As long as he remains ignorant of her sin
the husband commits no transgression in living with her. But
if the husband know that his wife has gone astray, and if the woman
does not repent, but persists in her fornication and yet the husband
continues to live with her, he also is guilty of her crime, and a
sharer in her adultery." And I said
to him, "What then, sir, is the husband to do, if his wife
continue in her vicious practices?" And
He said, "The husband should put her away, and remain
himself. But if he put his wife away
and marry another he also commits adultery ."….

**THE
CONCLUSION OF The early Church Fathers and believers: When
adultery existed, divorce was permitted. Any remarriage while
the divorced spouse was still living was adultery. Their basis
of belief was the Word of God; the lives, life styles and
indoctrination of the Apostles and other men and women of God.
I call to your attention that these men and their writings are
within 150 years of our Savior’s life on this earth.

(5)
Warren W. Wiersby,
a contemporary Church leader that I greatly admire:
"EXPOSITORY OUTLINES OF THE NEW TESTAMENT"; PAGE 201
"DIRECTLY COPYING HIS MANUSCRIPT"

Romans
7:1-6

I.
TWO HUSBANDS - 7:1-6
He uses the marriage relationship to
illustrate our relationship to the law. (Keep in mind that
when Paul speaks of "the law" he means, not only the OT
law of Moses, but any kind of legislation that the believer uses to
curb sin or attain holiness.) The two husbands
are the law and the Lord Jesus Christ. When a woman is
married to a man, she is bound to that man until he dies.
Then she is free to marry again. [color emphasis added].

Before
we met Christ, we were bound by the law and condemned by it. The
law, however, did not "die" when we were saved; instead, WE
DIED IN CHRIST! We are no longer "married" to a system
of regulations; we are "married" to Jesus Christ, and the
law has no control over us! Read 7:4 again
and again and absorb its wonderful message. Our old
"husband" has no control over us: we are in a wonderful new
relationship through Christ. When we were lost, the law
triggered the "arousings of sin" in our old nature, and this
produced death (vs.5). But
now we are delivered from the law and serve in newness of the Spirit,
not in the oldness of the letter (vs.6).

Vs.
6 does not suggest that Christians
have no obligations to obey God. Actually, our obligations are
now greater since we know Christ and belong to God's family. The
NT demands are far more severe than the OT Law, for the NT (the Sermon
on the Mount, for example) deals with inward attitudes, and not
outward actions only. But vs.6
teaches that our motivation in obeying is different: we are not simply
mechanically obeying a set of rules; we are lovingly, from the heart,
obeying the Spirit of God Who fulfills the righteousness of the Law in
us (8:4). A beginning pianist
can play a number "letter perfect" and still not capture the
inner spirit of the song the way an accomplished musician can.
Our obedience to God is not that of a slave fearing a master, but a
bride lovingly trying to please her Bridegroom.

**Dr.
Warren W. Wiersby concludes that only a widow may marry again.

"AGAIN,
DIRECTLY COPYING HIS MANUSCRIPT"1 Corinthians 7:39-40
Do not be in a hurry, for marriage
is for life (39-40). The
marriage cannot be broken because of some whim or fancy; for only
death severs the bonds. (Of course Christ taught that
sexual sins gave the right for divorce). Too many people
(including some Christians) have the idea, "If our marriage
doesn’t work out, we can always get a divorce." Not so,
says Paul! When you marry, be sure it is "in the
Lord" - that is, be sure you marry a Christian and that your mate
is the one God has chosen for you. How tragic to see young lives
ruined by hasty marriages.

**Dr.
Warren W. Wiersby concludes that only death severs the bonds of
marriage.

Over the years I have
heard the following comments from Pastor after Pastor from
Michigan to Florida; from Florida to Arizona; and from Arizona to Washington
State.

The following quotes are not
hearsay but are quotes from personal conversations I
have had with Senior Pastors and Assistant Pastors. The following comments
certainly
reveal deeply buried... spiritualfault lines:

**A
number of years agoI had a very serious injury due to an industrial accident. A Pastor
in a neighboring city thought it would be very helpful if my wife and I became
members of his ministry and gave him a helping hand. Before joining his
ministry I gave him my "Philosophy of Ministry" manuscript that gives
great detail about our convictions concerning divorce and divorce / remarriage.
After several months of helping the ministry by teaching a singles and married
couples class, one of the deacons called and asked to meet with me at a
restaurant that was convenient to both of us so we could talk. He started
the conversation by telling me that he was divorced and remarried and "he
was very sure that my wife and I were not aware of his situation." He
also wanted us to know that at the next annual business meeting, of the five men
to be considered for the "Office of Deacon," three were divorced men
whose divorced wives were still living and that two of those men would certainly
be elected. The majority of the Deacon's Board would... then be
...divorced and remarried men whose divorced wives were still living.

When I confronted their
Pastor,this
is what I was told:
"Brother. When I graduated from Seminary I didn't believe in
divorce and remarriage while a divorced spouse was still alive. In
my very first ministry I was confronted with the issue and I had to make a
decision. Because I believed that the Lord had called me to preach
and ... because I had a family to feed, I made the
decision to preach and feed my family".

Over
the past 40 years, many Pastors have said "to me" ... the
following:

**"Brother,
if I preached Romans
7:2-4, "For the woman who has a husband is bound by
the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies,
she is released from the law of her husband. [3]
So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she
will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free
from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married
another man. [4] Therefore, my
brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of
Christ, that you may be married to another--to Him who was raised
from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God." And 1
Corinthians 7:39, "A wife is bound by law as long as
her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be
married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord," as
a hard and fast interpretation, I wouldn't have a church left."

**"When
I graduated from Seminary I didn't agree with divorce and remarriage
while a divorced spouse was still alive..."but"
the Church that called me had thosefolks as members."

Personal
note: I was called and installed in my very first
ministry (I was 37 years old, married with three sons in school)
by a 100% vote of acceptance. I had no idea that over
90% of the membership and visitors were divorced and remarried. I
was Pastor for over 6-months when the Lord gave me a message concerning
the sanctity and permanence of marriage and when I TEARFULLY AND FEARFULLY
said to Him, "Lord, if I preach that message 90% of the members and
visitors will not return for the evening service -- HE REMAINED
--SILENT (it was His Church, not mine). Guess what men, I was
correct and after He and I found fundamental Church (upper case
"C") families for the faithful, we closed that church
(lower case "c") several months later. I had
three sons in school and no income, I never asked anyone for financial
help, not our home church and not even my home missionary board --
and the mail box began filling up with letters containing checks from
folks I had never met in my life. We never missed a single meal,
paid all of our responsibilities in full and on time from that day to
this. Our God doesn't fail His servants!! When our God calls
-- He empowers! When He empowers -- He picks up the pieces and pays
the bills!!! I'm 65 years old, men!

**"When
I graduated from Seminary I didn't agree with divorce and remarriage
while a divorced spouse was still alive..."but"
all
of the other men in my area [conference, denomination,
association etc.] are doing it."

**"When
I graduated from Seminary I didn't agree with divorce/remarriage
while a divorced spouse was still alive..."but"
the
members of my congregation told me over and over again that Dr. Herb
Vanderlugt, Radio Bible Class, Dr. Charles Swindoll and Dr.
James Dobson, Focus on the Family all teach that God's mercy and grace
covers this."

It's
time for the 21st. century Church to affirm what Apostles and early
church fathers practiced. Divorce and remarriage with a divorced
spouse still alive requires more than a
cursory...surface...confession. It
requires a 1 John 1:9, If we confess our
sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We must agree with the Lord
that the "Marriage" is sin.

Second,
this sin is a "ONE FLESH" issue. There is no decree,
divorce agreement or disavowal of a vow on this earth with the
authority to separate the "one flesh union" that our
Creator God has ordained. Only death can separate the
Creator God ordained one flesh relationship.

Think
about it. What does Deuteronomy 24:4
teach us? "Her former
husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife,
after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before the
Lord: and you shall not cause the land to sin, which the Lord thy God
gives thee for an inheritance."

She's
a divorced woman twice around. Obviously it isn't for adultery or
she would have been stoned. She can not remarry her first husband
because she is "Defiled."
She is one flesh with her first divorced and
living husband. And, she is one flesh with her second divorced and
living husband! Think about this
relationship, men. She was given a writ of divorcement from
her first husband (yet she is one flesh with him). She is
discovered by husband number two, he marries her and they become one
flesh when they CONSUMMATE
her new marriage.

Question.
What is really happening when this divorced/remarried woman is having
sexual relations with her number two husband while she is still one
flesh with her number one husband? To gain greater insight let's
walk the Old Testament truth on the New Testament sidewalks of 1
Corinthians 6:16, "What? know ye not that he which is joined
to an harlot is one body?
for two, said He, shall be one
flesh."

Consider
1 Corinthians 6:18, "Flee fornication.
Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he
that commits fornication sins against his own body."

The
Old and New Testament sin picture is called "defilement of the one
flesh union." What are Siamese Twins. Babies that are
physically attached by "One Flesh." What verbal or
written decree, agreement or disavowal of a vow on this earth has the
authority to separate the Siamese, one flesh union that our Creator God
created at the time of their conception and birth? Only death can
separate the dilemma of the one flesh relationship that Siamese
Twins face. In many instances it means sacrificing one child for
another. A heart breaking, gut wrenching decision is made.
One child lives and one child must die. Today many Siamese twins
are spared dying by surgically separating the children. It
requires the death of the tissues, blood vessels and flesh that joined
them together. Their separation requires death. This isn't a
perfect picture but a picture sufficient to get this truth across to
most.

Remember
the question, "What is happening when this woman is having
sexual relations with her number two husband while she is still one
flesh with her number one husband?" If the Old Testament and
the New Testament is correct, #1 husband
is vicariously having sexual relations with #2
husband because they
are both one flesh with the same woman at the same time.
This is the Old Testament truth called "Defilement
and Abomination."

That
sin relationship is still true today?

Malachi
3:6, "For I am the Lord, I
change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed."

Hebrews
13:8, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and
for ever."

Is
there a solution? Yes, there is. Read Ezra
Chapter 10. All of it. And try
to remember that it is our Merciful and Gracious God Who required
Israel's national obedience and the obedience of their leadership, the
Priests and the sons of the Priests. Also, it might be well to
remember that there is no such thing as "Easy Believism" or
"Painless Repentance." The picture of the surgical
separation of the Siamese twins is an adequate picture. The price
for sin is still the same Romans 6:23a,
"For the wages of sin is death" and the Lord still
requires repentance Acts 3:19, "Repent
ye therefore, and be converted (change you mind and
direction, added), that your sins may be blotted out,
when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the
Lord" for forgiveness and cleansing".

Please
go to the Divorce and Remarriage page of this web page -- http://goldenfaithbiblechurch.org/divorce_remarriage.htm
--, Section V- "The -
Born Again divorced and remarried couple:"
These folks have potential for a tremendous "God
Ordained ministry" that only they will be able to do
with genuine empathy and enthusiasm 2
Corinthians 1:2-4; Philippians
4:13 & 19. for more information concerning this
issue and the New Testament, Age of Grace application.
Those who will obey the Word of God and take the necessary
steps to reconcile themselves with their divorced spouse,
their present spouse and children, family, friends and
their local Church family can certainly enjoy most of the
benefits of the Local Church ministry.

Can
you imagine what
affect their new commitment to the Word of God and
demonstration of obedience will have on their own
Pastor (and other Pastors)! Their Church Their
family! And, their community!

It's
my conviction that there aren't enough books, libraries or
web pages, world wide, to enumerate all of the potentials
of their future ministries!!!! The first ministry
that they will experience will be their own personal
ministry to themselves: "The ministry of a pure
conscience and renewed fellowship and power with our Lord
and Saviour, Jesus Christ"!! The second
greatest ministry they will experience will be the
ministry of an "obedience by example" to their
own children and grandchildren by being their spiritual
hero!!

We
are experiencing the last portion of Deuteronomy
24:4? This is what our Savior said then and now, "and
you shall not cause the land to sin." Sin is contagious!
The New Testament teaches us that this sin of adultery is
contagious 1 Corinthians 5:6-8,
"Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a
little leaven leavens the whole lump?
[7] Purge out therefore
the old leaven (from your assembly, added), that ye may be a
new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is
sacrificed for us: [8] Therefore let us
keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice
and wickedness but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and
truth." We know this from observation and statistics.
Many of us know this from personal experience. Just a few years
ago, in my lifetime of 65 years, there were no divorced and remarried
families in the Church, on the membership rolls or in leadership. What
are we experiencing with today's enlightened theology? "What are we going to do about it?"

Can
we begin with the simple words of encouragement and admonition that the
Apostle Paul was inspired by the Holy Spirit to say to the Church
Elders/Pastors of Ephesus Acts
20:28-32, "Be on
guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy
Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the Church
of God which He purchased with His own blood. [29]
I know that after my
departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock;
[30]
and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things,
to draw away the disciples after them. [31]
Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period
of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears.
[32]
And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able
to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all
those who are sanctified?"

I
grew up in a farming community and herded cattle and shepherded sheep.
I learned very quickly that I had to be in charge. All of my
decisions were based upon the instructions that I received from my boss,
the owner of the farm and the sheep. I, alone, answered to the
owner, in everything. Carry what we know is true in life and walk
it in Scripture. All of us have taught, ministered from the pulpit
or instructed conversationally that every person that has ever lived
will give a personal, one-on-one account of our lives and ministry to
Jesus Christ. We know this to be true because of our
instructions from our owner/boss:

Romans
14:11-12, "For it is written, As I live, says the
Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to
God. [12] So then every one of us shall
give account of himself to God."

How
many of us have ever taught that there will be anyone else at our side
defending us before Jesus Christ at the Bemis Seat Judgment? Will
there be a friend, a professor, a spouse, a referee etc. saying to the
Lord, " 'He's right, Lord. That's just what I told him to
teach and say?' Or, 'That's just what I told him to do.
Don't blame him, Lord. I'm to blame!."

Have
we taught personal accountability to others while overlooking the truth
of our personal accountability to our Savior, Jesus Christ? Do you
and I....really....believe that you and I and you and I alone are
going to stand before the Lord and give an account of our ministry?
And., there will be no one else present to share in my victories, my
failures or take the blame for my presumptions?

Hebrews
13:17, "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit
yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that .... must
.... give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with
grief: for that is unprofitable for you."

Acts
20:28, "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all
the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made .... you
.... overseers, to feed the church of God, which He hath
purchased with His own blood.

James
3:1, "My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that ....
we
.... shall receive the greater condemnation."

You
and I are given the responsibility of "Shepherding" a local,
geographically located Church by God through the power of the Holy
Spirit.

Acts
20:28, "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all
the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to
feed the church of God, which He hath purchased with His own
blood."

Our
local, geographically located Church was purchased by the blood of Jesus
Christ and, we do not Shepherd the local Church by:

*popular opinion,*majority vote,*boards,*committees,*the
opinions of others,*a
denominational position, statement or edict,*by
our peers as a Pastor in an association of Churches,*by
our membership, board members etc. as an independent Pastor in an
independent Church,*by
family, financial, community or social needs and obligations or,*By family (I have a family
to feed.), financial (This is all I know to do.), community or social
pressures and
obligations?

It
was the Holy Spirit that gave you and me that vote of confidence and
installed us into our geographically located Church body as
Pastor/Shepherd. Not the Church body membership! You and I
are there, charged by God Himself, to correct their thinking and
understanding, not visa versa.

The
only question that you and I are ever going to hear from our Savior is,
"What did 'I' say to you?"
As President Roosevelt said, "The buck stops at my desk."

Throughout our
lives and especially -- throughout our ministries -- we are called upon
the make decisions and give directions that, humanly speaking, have
disaster written all over them. For you and me it's a case of
"letting it all hang out with no possible end route. We tell
our wife and family, it's all on the line! We may be on the
street, tomorrow!" I'm going to be blunt, if you and I do not
have the courage of conviction in our Ministries with our
Creator, Awesome, All Knowing and All Powerful God hanging onto
and leading us by our hand, how on earth do you even dare to leave your
home and drive on the highways with today's mentality of drivers?!
I drive the highways of New Jersey, New York and the streets of
Manhattan and I can tell you that my God given Angels for my protection
are overworked!!

Can
I encourage each of us as Pastors to reevaluate our personal position as
a Shepherd?

You and I can be instruments to God's glory on to
the strengthening of marriages and families across this nation and our
world. We need to be obedient to His Word and to those vows we
took when we were ordained. We need to stand boldly before
our Church family and TRUTHFULLY PREACH THE WORD OF GOD. ALL OF
IT...trusting in -- His -- divine protection and provisions.

"When
we prepare our studies and finally present them,
are
the following statements true of all
of my studies and positions?"

Note:
It is my experience and observation that correct "head
knowledge" of
doctrine, if not correctly translated into the practical realm of our
daily experiences, will not necessarily produce a Godly witness with
God's protections and blessings. We must consciously evaluate everything we
believe and practice in the light of God's Attributes
and Sovereignty. All doctrine must fall withinGod's
parameters. We must consciously set aside our feelings. Correct
doctrine isn't "I think" or "I feel" or even
"I believe". Correct doctrine is "According
to the Word of God...thus says our God."

(1)
THE WORD OF GOD IS MY FINAL AUTHORITY:

Psalms
33:11,"The
counsel of the Lord stands forever, the thoughts of His heart to
all generations."Psalms
119:89, "For ever, 0 Lord, Thy
word is settled in heaven."II Timothy 3:15,
"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for
reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness."

(2)
THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD (God is the Supreme Authority) DEMANDS THAT MYCONCLUSION IS IN AGREEMENTWITHHIS
WILL:

Psalms
119:89-91, "For ever, O Lord, thy word is
settled in heaven. [90]
Thy faithfulness is unto allgenerations:
thou hast established the earth, and it abides. [91]
They continue
this day according to your ordinances: for all are thy servants."Philippians
2:13, "For it is God which works
in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure."

(3)
THE IMMUTABILITY OF GOD (God never changes) DEMANDS THAT MYCONCLUSIONIS IN AGREEMENTWITH
HIS ORIGINAL
PLAN AND PURPOSE:

Numbers
23:19, "God is
not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man the He
should repent:
hath He said, and shall He not do it? Or make it good?"Malachi
3:6a,
"I am the Lord, I change not."Hebrews
13:8, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and
forever."

Isaiah
59:1,
"Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it can not
save; neither His ear heavy,
that
it cannot hear."1
Thessalonians 5:24, "Faithful is He who calls you, who
also will do it."Philippians
4:19, "But my God shall supply
all your need according to His riches in glory by Jesus
Christ."

5)
THE PROPITIATION OF CHRIST (the Sacrificial price He paid on
Calvary's cross
for my sins)DEMANDS THAT MY CONCLUSION GLORIFIES
JESUS CHRIST:

Ephesians
1:22, "And He put
all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over
all
things to the church,"Colossians
1:18b, "That in all things He
might have the preeminence."

Matthew 5:32 "But I say to you that everyone who divorces his
wife, except for the cause of unchastity, makes her
commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced
woman commits adultery.
Mark 10:7-12
"For this cause a man shall leave his father and
mother,
[8]
AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH; consequently
they are no
longer two, but one flesh.
[9]
"What therefore God has joined together, let no man
separate."
[10]
And in the house the disciples began
questioning Him about this again.
[11] And He said to them,
"Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman
commits adultery against
her; [12] and if she herself divorces
her husband and marries another man, she is
committing adultery."

Luke 16:18 "Everyone who
divorces his wife and marries another commits
adultery; and he who marries one who is divorced
from a husband commits adultery."

God's Word also
teaches:

Romans 7:3
"So then if, while her
husband lives,she be married to another
man, she
shall be called an adulteress: but if her
husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that
she is no adulteress, though she be married to
another man."

1 Corinthians 7:39
"The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband
lives; but if her
husband be dead, she is at liberty to be
married to whom she will; only in the
Lord."

Today's
theologians are saying, nottrue!

1 Timothy 6:3-5
"If anyone teaches
otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words,
even the words of our
Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords
with godliness,
[4] he is proud, knowing nothing, but is
obsessed with disputes and arguments over words,
from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil
suspicions, [5]
useless wrangling of men of corrupt minds and
destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness
is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself."

"FYI
AND A HEADS UP
Caution 501c3 Participants""Confession"is not"repentance"
and "divorce"is
not"death"

As a Church Family ministry,
if you allow 24/7/52 lifestyle adulterers (the
divorced and remarried with living divorced spouses
Matthew 5:32, Mark 10: 7-12, Luke 16:18,
**Romans
7:2-3,**1
Corinthians 7:39
[** key verses], Revelation 21:8 and Revelation 22:15
in your Church Family membership, leadership
and ministerial oversight while refusing the homosexual crowd,
major problems concerning your 501c3 exemptions are on the way.
You're not going to be allowed to continue having a "smorgasbord
ministry" -- having it both ways. Attorneys who are well
versed in the English language and know their way around the Word of God
are numerous in the leadership of our Federal and State governments.
Many of them are religious college and seminary graduates who understand
1 Corinthians 6:9-10.

Deeply buried is the following:

Since
this disclaimer does not expressly state
any specific actions that would be protected under the First
Amendment (i.e. – publicly denouncing homosexual behavior as a sin or
placing an advertisement that includes Biblical verses that
condemn homosexual behavior on a public billboard), it
has the net effect of paraphrasing the First Amendment and
nothing more. As the Judiciary Committee Minority staff has
noted, the Supreme Court has “already has decided that hate crimes laws are
constitutional under the First Amendment, and upheld the
criminal conviction of a person for “hate speech” when
coupled with a violent act committed by other persons (Wisconsin
v. Mitchell, 508 U.S. 476 (1993)).” Thus,religious leaders promoting traditional morality could be
made subject to compulsory legal processes (and hauled into
court) simply because their religious teachings may have been
misconstrued by a deranged murderer.

Free Speech &
Religious Liberties:

The
First Amendment establishes that Congress “shall make no
law… abridging the freedom of speech….”. The nature of
“hate crime” legislation is to require law enforcement
officials to try to ascertain the specific thoughts and
motivations that a perpetrator may have had while committing a
violent crime, in order to stiffen the penalty for the
underlying offense. Current
federal law allows an individual to be prosecuted as an
“accessory” to a crime, or if the individual somehow
“incited” violence. Thus, if an individual (such as a
pastor or rabbi) denounced the act of homosexuality as a sin
to a group of people, and one of those people committed a
violent crime against a homosexual, it is plausible that the
pastor or rabbi could be charged with inciting violence or as an
accessory to the crime.State hate crime laws have
been used in several instances to harass, arrest, and/or silence
non-violent protests, public broadcasts and media events and
displays, and other instances where individuals were lawfully
exercising protected First Amendment free speech privileges.
Some conservatives may be concerned that empowering the federal
government, and disparate state and local governments via new
federal grants, to pursue “hate crimes” may have the effect
of silencing or restricting free speech. It is perceived by many
conservatives that the “LBJ amendment” (regarding IRS
regulations prohibiting political candidate endorsements by
non-profits) has had the net effect of squelching free speech in
churches and synagogues across the country since 1954. Notably, the only ramification that comes from not
adhering to the LBJ Amendment is that a non-profit would
potentially lose their 501(c)(3) tax status, not the potential criminal liability and prosecution that is allowed
under this legislation.

Pastors,
the following is just "two"
of your many problems:

One, "Confession"is not"repentance"
and, two, "divorce"is
not"death".

1
Corinthians 6:9 "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of
God? Be not deceived, neither
1-fornicators,
(Fornicators must stop their sin for membership and
leadership. Who is a fornicator? These are
folks that the world and Christians would term as
"shacked up" or living together and having
regular sex without being married. Some fornicators are
individuals who are known to be "regularly"
sleeping around with many others. A fornicator can
also be an individual who is dating or engaged to a single
individual and they are known to be having sex.
These individuals must stop their sin to become a Church
member or leader.)

2- nor idolaters,
(Idolaters must stop their sin for membership and
leadership. Who is "commonly" termed
an idolater? Any person who has a statute of a god,
a person, an individual that some religious body has
distinguished as a "saint" and they bow down to
or pray "to" or pray "in" that god's,
person's or saint's name and believe that they actually
hear, help or intercede for them in some manner.
These individuals must stop their sin for membership and
leadership.)

3-
nor adulterers(Is the 21st
century church attempting to CHANGE the Word of God and
say to you and me that only some adulterers will not see the Kingdom of
God but not all adulterers?By
overwhelming
"MEMBERSHIPPRACTICE"it
is clearly evident
that our 21st
century church leadership is absolutely teaching that
it is no longer true that all adulterers will not inherit the Kingdom of
God but only some adulterers.
Also, only some designated adulterers can be members and leaders of their
church where as other
adulterers can only be members; interesting.)
Please
see the notes below.

Definition
of adulterer:Noun, a person who has committed adultery.
An adulterer is any individual who is married and
having sex with someone other than their spouse.
That individual is an adulterer.

Men,
until
the last 30 +/- years and with only a few exceptions,
everyone knew and accepted that adultery is in
violation of (1) the Word of God, (2) a
violation ofirrevocable
vows to God and (3) a violation of theirrevocable one flesh until deathrelationship.
This irrevocable relationship
isthe key doctrine that the church today is trying to overlook and / or annul.
Also, until the last 30 +/- years, there was only one kind
of adulterer. Adulterers were the sinful individuals
called adulterers by our Lord in His
Word: Matthew 5:32, Mark 10: 7-12,
Luke 16:18, **Romans
7:2-3, **1 Corinthians 7:39,
Revelation 21:8 and Revelation 22:15.
(**
key verses)

By
overwhelming "MEMBERSHIP
PRACTICE",
our 21st
century church
has created two (2) categories of adulterers:

Definition
according to membership practice:
The sinful but saved Christian adulterers are individuals
who have joined
a church after confessing to
a Pastor and membership that their remarriage
"was" a
sin (at the time of their remarriage) and
not "is"
presently a sin (Romans 7:2-3).

Problem:The Word of God
is absolutely clear that no Born Again
Christian can or will remain in any sinful lifestyle.

Romans 6:1-2, "What shall we say then?
Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
[2] God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
[KJV]

Ephesians 5:5, " For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God."
[NKJV]

Romans 6:1-2,
"What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase?
[2] May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?"
[NASV].

Years ago I was the
Chaplain of a large jail system and I can assure you
from observation and personal experience that confession
is not equal to or the same as, repentance!

Because confessionis notrepentance
and divorceis
notdeath, it is my conviction that
Pastors and their
membership who forgive the divorced and remarried folks simply because they
confess that what they had done "was a sin,"
even though the Word of God instructs us that it is an "ongoing
sin," and do not require that they obey the
Word of God by repenting and ceasing their sin,
have fallen into the same sinthat we have condemned the Roman Catholic Church and her Priests of doing,
granting ABSOLUTION of
SIN. It's interesting that even the Roman Catholic Church condemns
remarriage, that is, until they have
annulled the first marriage and that,
dear reader, is precisely what our 21st century
church membership practice is accomplishing, absolution of
sin. When asked, Pastors and membership
alike will, without hesitation, tell me they
"believe" that, in God's eyes, (1)
their divorce decree did away with their marriage vows and
their one flesh relationship; (2)
they believe that God's grace covers this sin
(and they will call it sin).

Question:
Pastors
and church leaders, why do you demand that nine of the ten listed sinners must not only confess that their lifestyle sins
are -- sin, AND, these SAME nine individuals must also repent of those sins
and cease (completely stop) the sin to become members and
/ or leaders of your ministry but -- not -- the lifestyle
adulterers? Why are the divorced and remarried
lifestyle adultery individuals exempt and allowed membership and
leadership in your ministries and Church Families?!

Because
I am approaching my three score and tenth year on this
earth, I have personally witnessed and experienced
first hand an "almost" total transition from remarriage exclusion to remarriage inclusion
within the local church membership. Also, every
fundamental church pastor that I have personally known knows that confessionis notrepentance
and divorceis
notdeath.
Because of this fact I am convinced that the divorced and remarried
first found inclusion in
church membership
30 to 40 years ago via an
"Achilles
heel".
I'll explain:

The
Achilles heel membership syndrome began to take place in the local
churches because very few Pastors
or members making this decision actually had a mother or father,
brother or sister, aunt or uncle,
cousin, or a good friend, buddy, boss, working acquaintance, and
etc., who was openly living in one of those other nine sins,
i.e., living as a thief, a drunkard, an extortioners and etc.
Taking
a stand on the Word of God concerning those sins would
cost Pastors and members very little or nothing at all; as a matter of fact,
pastors heard then
as he hears now,
"Great message, pastor!" and the general public heard
then and now, "You ought to hear our pastor preach. He's
tough on sin!"But
taking a stand on the Word of God concerning divorce and
remarriage {the "Achilles
heel"} would potentially cost the
Pastors, then and now, their ministry income / vocation due to
peer and
denominational association disapproval, their marriage, their family,
their friends, etc. and etc. In personal conversations with my peers and with church members
across this nation and around the world (via email) I've
discovered over the years that these men, church leaders and
members were and are only thinking of
themselves and the divorced and
remarried folks in their lives -- including their spouse, sons,
daughters, grandchildren, friends, etc., can simply go to hell because it will cost them too much to be
honest with those folks! I'm not being harsh.
There is no other explanation for someone who knows the truth
and doesn't love someone else enough to warn them about the
consequences of their sinful lifestyle. Read their reasons
for yourself: (reasons
"fundamental" pastors give )
& (reasons
"Christian" husbands and wives give for
their remarriages)

Another
sad
but true scenario:We have a preacher generation that is commonly
referred to as "preacher boys" by the older generation
of Pastor Shepherds. This so called preacher boy
generation has grown up
with the inclusion of the remarried 24/7/52 lifestyle adulterers
in their churches and have been taught that church membership is ok
for some but not
leadership. As is true of any and all evolved generational
changes, what is allowed in moderation in one generationis
practiced in excess in the next.
The past 30 to 40 years is considered to be a generation.
This generation began the inclusion of the divorced and
remarried into membership. As this generation grew older
(evolved) they began to include the divorced and remarried into
church leadership. Now
we are witnessing more and more divorced and divorced & remarried
"pastors"
(lower case "p")as
well as divorced and divorced & remarried leadership. The Achilles
heel has now become the Trojan
Horse within the walls of the church.
And, why would I say this? A divorced & remarried
pastor who is a retired divorced & remarried Christian
College professor said to me, "I don't believe that God is
going to punish me for preaching." Punishment for
preaching the Word of God? I can only say that God will
honor His Word. I can also say without reservation that --
that pastor shepherd hasn't considered his "Trojan
Horse" example to his membership: Hebrews 13:7,
"Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to
you, whose faith (you) follow,..."

We
are now at the beginning of the next evolved generation of
21st century pastors and membership which is the inclusion of the homosexuals
in membership and leadership.

The
obvious perversion of the Word of God is evident all around us
concerning the inclusion of the divorced / remarried adulterers and
homosexuals due, in a very large part, to the Achilles Heel syndrome
leading to what is now a Trojan Horse syndrome. It is
impossible to exclude one group of sinners when other groups of sinners
are already included! Is there any other answer for these
leader and membership practice heresies when the Word of God is so very,
very clear
1
Corinthians 5:9-13? (Amplified Version)

"I wrote you in my [previous] letter not to associate [closely and habitually] with unchaste (impure)
people [10] Not [meaning of course that you must] altogether shun the immoral people of this world, or the greedy graspers and cheats and thieves or idolaters, since otherwise you would need to get out of the world and human society altogether!
[11] But now I write to you
not to associate with anyone who bears the name of [Christian]
brother if he is known to be guilty of immorality or greed, or is an idolater [whose soul is devoted to any object that usurps the place of God], or is a person with a foul tongue [railing, abusing, reviling, slandering], or is a drunkard or a swindler or a robber. [No] you must not so much as eat with such a person.
[12] What [business] of mine is it and what right have I to judge outsiders? Is it not those inside [the church] upon whom you are to pass disciplinary judgment [passing censuring sentence on them as the facts require]?
[13] God alone sits in judgment on those who are outside. Drive out that wicked one from among you [expel him from your
church]".

Pastors
and leaders. Confessionis notrepentance
and divorceis
notdeath;
who or what is your "Achilles
heel"?
And, do you already have, or, are you a Trojan Horse in your church
family?

"GoldenFaithBibleChurch.org" is not
a 501c3 organization.
You will receive a receipt for your financial gifts, be aware,
your gifts are not tax deductible.

Please be advised, Rev. Robert J. Kuiphoff is an Ordained
Minister of the Word of God and is not a licensed or trained
Attorney, Psychologist, Psychiatrist or Medical Practitioner or
Physician. Any and all counsel, suggestions and / or advice
derived from
www.goldenfaithbiblechurch.org or via email, telephone or
personal conversations with Rev. Robert J. Kuiphoff is based
solely upon Rev. Robert J. Kuiphoff's personal convictions
concerning the Word of God; his personal interpretation of the
Word of God and his lengthy experience counseling and advising
men, women and children concerning the Christian Life and daily
walk in the world that we all live in from the Word of God and /
or his personal observations and experiences.

How
can I encourage you?

The
Mailbox is for my emailYour servant in Christ our
Lord,
Rev. Robert (Bob) J. Kuiphoff